Hydraulic Fracking Process Monitoring

Fracking, otherwise known as hydraulic fracturing, has become a word well-known with the recent expansion of oil exploration. As fracking helps to release natural substances (in this case, oil) from the earth’s rock for extraction, monitoring sensors directly at the site provide data and supervisory control for engineers and personnel controlling the fracking process.

Automation Integrator uses Comtrol for Device Connectivity

A leading integrator of factory automation and robotics solutions selected the Comtrol DeviceMaster UP 2-port 2E for a production line cell for forging spindles. In this application laser markers communicating via Ethernet TCP/IP were used to apply a serial number to the spindles.

Paint Spraying Operation Integrates IO-Link

A furniture manufacturer was in need of a time and money saving solution. This company needed something that could identify the size of sections of furniture on the paint spraying line and thus reduce over-spraying and wasting paint.

Paint Spraying Operation Integrates IO-Link

A furniture manufacturer was in need of a time and money saving solution. This company needed something that could identify the size of sections of furniture on the paint spraying line and thus reduce over-spraying and wasting paint.

Transit Surveillance Powered by PoE

Throughout North America we’ve experienced the expansion of mass transit as a growing form of transportation not only for commuters, but the general public alike. With the growing number of riders utilizing these buses, trains, and light rails each day it is crucial to ensure quality system performance throughout all areas of these platforms.

Comtrol’s RocketPort EXPRESS working in audio and video live feeds

At sporting and entertainment events instant video and audio updates are necessary. We need to know the score of the basketball game or how many personal fouls our favorite player had. Comtrol’s RocketPort Express multiport serial cards help a leading scoreboard control company make that process easier.

Mcity sits on a 32-acre site on the University of Michigan’s North Campus, with more than 16 acres of roads and infrastructure. It includes approximately five lane-miles of roads with intersections, traffic signs and signals, sidewalks, benches, simulated buildings, street lights, and obstacles such as construction barriers. This environment allows the testing of new technologies, such as autonomous vehicles, in a safe, controlled, but otherwise real-world environment.

At Mcity, each set of traffic signal devices in an intersection, on-ramp, rail crossing, crosswalk, etc. is connected to the facility’s traffic management network via a dedicated fiber link using Comtrol’s ES8510-XT switch. This network then consolidates each of those connections onto a high-speed backbone, which in turn connects to a state-of-the-art traffic control center, located near Mcity at the U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The traffic signal devices connected to the ES8510-XT include a Road Side Unit (RSU), a Traffic Controller, and an embedded connected vehicle (CV) data collection device developed by UMTRI.

In addition to the ES8510-XT, Mcity has also chosen to implement Comtrol’s RocketLinx ES8108. The ES8108’s sole purpose is to aggregate the video/radar portion of Mcity’s traffic control system- which includes four video cameras and two radar sensors per intersection. From here, the switch is daisy chained to the ES8510-XT and all communication is relayed back to U-M’s TCC (Traffic Control Center).

“Mcity required trouble-free equipment that would occupy crucial places in our infrastructure. The switches’ ability to operate in the harsh conditions of Michigan weather, handle complex requirements, such as multiple fiber connections, VLAN, etc., and their easy configuration have left us satisfied with our decision in choosing Comtrol”. – Greg McGuire, Mcity Lab Director